Splitting machine



NOV. 30, 1937. Tl B. CLARKE ET AL 2,106,431

SPLITTING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1936 Il i j O //0 //5 50 Patented Nov. 30, 1937 Y UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFSF'ICE f Y 7 2,100,431-, Y i y 'sPm'rTiNG MACHINE Thomas B. Ciarke and Hubert oothroyd, Leices-`V A i n ter, England, assigncrs to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N,v J., a corporation of New Jersey Application `une 23, 1936, Serial No. 86,82*?` nGrcat Britain July 16, 1935 s claims. f (c1.v 'e9-13) This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated as embodied in a splitting machine. Y

It is common practice to split heel-breast covmachine equipped to split heel-breast covering flaps from soles of shoes.

The illustrated machine comprises a main frame l to which a splitting knife' l2 havingl a 'e ering flaps, for example, from the grain sides of cutting edge I4 is adjustably secured-through the soles of shoes by the use of a machine which comprovision of a slot-and-screw connection I5 (Fig. prises a stationary splitting knife and a. pair of 2). The main frame lll-is provided with opposed rolls for feeding the sole against and past the cutvertical guideways I8 (Fig. 2) in which bearings ting edge of the knife, one of the rolls being ini- 20, 22 (Fig. 1f) of upperand lower rolls 24, 26, re- Y tially adjusted by the operator with relation to spectively, are slidingly Vmounted. AsV above the knife in accordance with the desired thickstated, it is desirable that the width of a gap 28 y ness of the flap and the other roll being pressed (Fig. 2) formed between the cutting edge I4 of yieldingly against the sole to cause the same to be I the knife l2 and the upper or gage roll 24 shall be gripped between the rolls and fed against the varied in accordancewith the density of the work A l5 knife as the rolls rotate, piece being split. The upper roll 2d is` therefore Y It has beenfound that when soles of soft leathoperatively connected to the lower roll 25 so that er are gripped between the rolls the same are comvertical movement of the lower roll 26 in one "dipressed to a considerable extent. When this ocrection will cause a proportionate Vertical movecurs the flap, due to its expansion after it leaves ment of the upper roll 24 in an opposite direction.

the roll, is thicker than the setting of the upper A bracket 3f!` is secured to the main frame lil roucaus for, the thickness of thesplitflap varying above the feed roll 24 of'L `the machine. The 2 in accordance with the density of the leathein bracket 30 is closed at its ends by cover plates 32 Itis an object of the present invention to split Y and at'its under side by a'cover plate 34.V Slidfrom'work pieces of substantially uniform thickingly mounted in the bracket 30 above a horizon- 25 ness and varying densities flaps which are of subtal upper roll adjusting bar' is a wedge bar 38 stantially uniform thickness. W which-is movable widthwise of the machine in a With the above object in view and in accorcldirection parallel to and `lengthwise ofl the Vrolls ance with a feature of this invention, there is dis- 24, 26. The wedge bar Sli-fis provided with upper closeda machine comprising a fixed knife proand lower faces 40, 42 (Fig.'1) inclined to each vided with an elongated cutting edge,a feed memother, the angle between the faces being four or ber which is initially adjustable with relation to more degrees and the distance between the" relathefcutting edge of the knife to provide'a gap ofY tively inclinedfaces at each end of the barinpredetermined width in accordance with the decreasing toward the right. Between the lower in sired thickness ofapiece of material to be trimmed clned faces 42 of the wedge bar 38 and the upper' from a work-piece, a yeldable feed member movhorizontal face of the adjusting bar 35 are two'V able withrelation to the knife in accordance vertically movable blocks lill-which are prevented with the density of the work-piece fed bythe from movement forwardly and rearwardly of `the` members past the knife, and mechanism for machine by the'bracket v30 and laterally of the causing movement of the yieldable feed member machine by the cover plates 32, y3ft.Y The blocks e 40 in one direction to effect a proportionately less 44 have horizontal lower facesresting on the movement of the other feed member in an oppoupper aCe 0f the adjusting 1021,35. Theil-Dpef site direction. faces 4510i the blocks44 are arranged in parallel l The invention will be better understood and relation 130 the inclined faces 42A OhQWedgibal i appreciated .from the following detailed de- 38 and between these faces are antfcton, r 011s 45 scription thereof read in connection with the ac- 48 held m place by cages 50' Above the mhged. '45 companymg drawing in which faces 4|] of the wedge bar are blocks 52 haymg.

s' lower faces 54 varranged 1n parallel relation to the Fig. l 1s a front elevat1on, partly 1n section, of Y a' portion of a splitting machine embodying our upper mchned 'faces 40 of the Wedge bar gaand l between these faces are anti-friction rolls 56 held mventlotl in place by cages 58. V'Ihe blocks 52 are provided 505 Fig. 1s a Vertical section of the machine taken with recesses 60 shaped and arranged to receive aloffg 1m? IL-H (.)f Flgl l n the lower ends of vertical screws 62 in threaded F1a 3 1S a detall Sectwnal vlew 0f the machme marion with the Wbracket stand carrying 160k Vtaken alOrlg 11218 III- III 0f Fig- 1,; and nuts 64. The screws` 62 prevent the blocks 52 hmi Fig. 4 shows a pair of rolls which are used in the from being moved laterally of the machine andV the front and rear faces of the bracket 30 prevent the blocks 52 from being moved forwardly or rearwardly of the machine, The screws 62 provide means whereby when assembling the machine the upper roll 24, which` is urged upwardly by springs 66, may be positioned heightwise relatively tothe cutting edge I4 of the knife I2.

The lower bearings 22 are urged upwardly by springs 63 respectively, the upper ends of which engage the bearings and the lower ends of which engage studs 65 which are in threaded engagement with the main frame |0. Upward movement of the rolls under the action of the springs 63 is limited by the engagement of nuts 61 carried by depending extensions 69 of the bearings with the studs 65.

The wedge bar 38 has pivotally mounted on it at about the center of the machine a horizontal stud 68 (Fig. 2) which is secured to a pendulous arm 10. Pivotally mounted upon forwardly projecting pins 12 secured to the bracket 30 at equal distances from the central plane I-II of the machine are two depending control arms 14. The control arms 14 are arranged at opposite sides of the pendulous arm 10 and carry blocks 16 which may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly on the control arms 14. The blocks 16 are provided with rounded projections which engage opposite sides, respectively, of the pendulous arm 10 at dierent portions heightwise of the arm.

' Secured to the lower ends of the control arms 14 by screws 1S are cam pieces 86 having cam faces 82, respectively,-arranged to be engaged by rounded projections 84 of plates 66 secured to the vertically movable bearings 22 in which the lower roll 26 is mounted.

The bar 36 is adjusted laterally of the machine by a horizontal screw 88 which is rotatably mounted in an upwardly extending portion 93 of the left-hand bearing 28 of the upper roll 24 but is prevented from endwise movement therein. The left-hand end of the screw 88 has secured to it a wheel 90, the `screw 88 being in threaded relation with a rectangular nut 92 (Figs. 1 and 3) engaging within a recess formed in an upwardly extending portion93 (Fig. 3) of the left-hand bearing 20. The left-hand end of the adjusting bar 36 is forked and arms 94 of the fork pass behind and in frontof upwardly extending portions 93 of the left-hand bearing 20 of the upper roll 24, the arms 94 having formed in their inner faces vertical grooves 86 shaped and arranged to receive projections 98 extending forwardly and rearwardly from the nut 92. When the screw 88 is rotated the nut 92 is moved laterally of the machine in the recess in the upwardly extending portion 93 of the left-hand bearing 2G ofthe upper roll 24 and is prevented from rotating by its engagement with the upper and lower walls of the recess and, by engagement of the projections 98 with the grooves 96 in arms 94 of the adjusting bar 36, moves the bar upwardly or downwardly with relation to the cutting edge |4 of the knife I2. By supporting the means for adjusting the bar 36 laterally of the machine on the bearings 20 of the upper roll 24 the bar is able to move bodily upwardly as will hereinafter appear.

When a work piece enters between the feed rolls 24, 26 the lower roll 26 is moved downwardly and the springs 63 which urge the lower roll upwardly compress the work piece between the rolls and thus exert an upward pressure against the upper roll 24. As the lower roll 26 descends, the rounded projections 84 on plates 86 secured to the bearings 22 move downwardly away from the cam faces 82 on the cam pieces 80 carried by the control arms 14 and allow the control arms to swing away from each other on their pins 12. Owing to the angle at which the relatively inclined faces 40, 42 at each end of the wedge bar 38 are relatively arranged, the wedge bar, through the mechanism above described, is moved to the right by the pressure of the inclined faces 40, 42 exerted by the pressure of the work against the upper roll 24. Such movement of the wedge bar 38 allows the upper roll 24 and the adjusting bar 36 to move upwardly. As the wedge bar 38 moves to the right the pendulous arm 10, which is pivotally supported by the wedge bar, by its engagement with the rounded projections of the blocks 16 on the control arms 14, causes the latter arms to swing outwardly and the cam faces 82 on the cam pieces of the control arms to move into engagement with the rounded projections 84. The engagement of the cam faces 82 with the rounded projections 84 limits the movement to the right of the wedge bar 38 and therefore determines the amount of upward movement of the upper roll 24. The amount the upper roll 24 is allowed to move upwardly when the lower roll 26 moves a given distance downwardly is controlled by the shape of the cam faces 82 of the cam pieces 80. The cam faces 82 may be so shaped that the amount of upward movement of the upper roll 24 is in a particular proportion to the amount of downward movement of the lower roll 26. This proportion may be varied by adjusting the blocks 16 on the control arms 14 which engage the pendulous arm 10 so that for a given downward movement of the lower roll 26 the wedge bar 38 receives an increased or decreased movement to the right and therefore varies the amount which the upper roll 24 rises.

In order to limit the extent of upward movement of the upper roll 24 a stop screw |00 is adjustably mounted on the right-hand cover plate 32 and is arranged to be engaged by the righthand end of the wedge bar 38. The screw |00 is preferably adjusted so that the limit of upward movement of the upper roll 24, permitted by downward movement of the lower roll 26, will be about '1 or 8 thousandths of an inch but may be varied if desirable. The shape of the cam faces 82 and the adjustment of the block 16 on the control arm 14 determines the thickness of the work piece necessary to cause the wedge bar 38 to be moved into engagement with the stop screw |00.

The movement of the various parts of the mechanism when a work piece enters between the rolls 24, 2'6 is comparatively rapid, the raising of the upper roll 24 taking place before the leading end of the work piece has reached the cutting edge I4 of the knife I2. Upward or downward movement of the lower roll 26 as th work piece passes between the rolls, due to the varying density of the material, causes the position of the upper roll 24 in relation to the cutting edge I4 to vary. Y

The illustrated machine comprises a pair of arms |02 which engage opposite edges of the work piece to guide the same centrally between the rolls 24, 26. The arms |02 are pivoted upon pins 12 on which the control arms 14 are pivoted, the guiding arms |02 extending downwardly in front of and close to the rolls 24, 26 so that their lower inner ends engage the edges of the work piece. The guiding arms |02 are drawn toward each other by a spring |04 opposite ends of which are secured to the respective arms, the hubs ofA the 'armsbeing in geared relation so. that the arms are moved equal distances toward and away from the central-plane II--II of the machine.

'Ihe hand wheel 90 by which the adjustingv bar 36 is moved laterally of the machine is provided with spaced notches |06 which are engaged by a leaf spring |08, secured to the upwardly extending portion of the left-hand bearing V22|) of the upper roll 24. The notches |06 are so positioned that rotation of the hand wheel from one notch to the succeeding notch causes the upper roll 24 to move upwardly and downwardly a quarter of an iron, one iron being equal to IS of an inch. This arrangementfenables the'operator quickly to' adjust the upper roll 24 a desired amount if it is found by measurement of thewcrk piece which has been split, that adjustment of the roll is necessary.' The above arrangement may be used in addition to an indicator I I which carries a pin I I2 (Fig. 2) constructed and arranged to engage within a vertical slot I I4 of the adjusting bar 3'6. The indicator IIO swings over a graduated plate II5 and-shows in irons the distance of the upper roll 24 from the cutting edge I4 of the knife I2.

In splitting heel-breast covering flaps ||8 (Fig. 4) it is desirable that the split sole be withdrawn from the machine in a direction opposite to the direction of feed and without any interference by the machine parts.

To equip the machine for splitting aps a pair ofV rolls |20, I 22 and roll-operating .mechanism (not shown) such as disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,638,929, granted August 16, 1927 on an application filed in the names of Joseph Gouldbourn and Wilfrid T. Minett, are provided. The upper roll has a flattened surface |24, the lower roll being cylindrical throughout its periphery. At opposite ends of the rolls |20, |22 are cams |26, |28, respectively, so arranged that when the cams are in engagement the face |24 is in opposed relation with the lower roll |22 which is depressed against springs 53. The operating mechanism for the machine is so constructed and arranged that the machine stops when the rolls |20, |22 are arranged in the position shown in Fig. 4 thereby permitting the split sole to be withdrawn from the machine without the danger of splitting the flap. Since the construction and operation of this mechanism is described in detail in the above-mentioned United States Letters Patent No. 1,638,929, it will not be necessary further to describe the same herein.

Having described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a splitting machine, a fixed knife provided with an elongated cutting edge, a feed member, means for initially adjusting said feed member with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to provide a gap of predetermined width in accordance with the desired thickness of a piece of material to be trimmed from a work-piece,a yieldable feed member movable with relation to the knife in accordance with the density of the workpiece fed by said members past the knife,f and mechanism for causing movement of the yieldable feed member in one direction to effect a proportionately less movement of the other feed member in an opposite direction.

2. In a splitting machine, a fixed knife provided with an elongated cutting edge, a feed member, means for initially adjusting said feed member with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to provide a gap of predetermined width in accordance with the desired thickness of a piece of material to be trimmed'from a work-piece, la yieldable feed member movable withrelati'on'to the knife in accordance with the density of lthe work-piece fed by said members past-the knife,

means for coordinating the movementY ofthe feed members in a predeterminedratio with'relation to the knife in opposite Yrlirectionsf-tocause the width of the gap to be increased or decreased a predetermined amount in accordance with the 3. In a splitting machine, a knife having a cutting edge, a pair of rolls for-feeding'ajwork piece against said cutting edge, one of saidrollsv being adjustable independently of the other'iwith relation to the knife to form initially agap ofY a Y predetermined width between the rolland saidV cutting edge and the other roll being Vmounted. for yielding movement away from the knife, and connections between the` rolls constructed and arranged to cause movement of the yieldable roll in one direction to effect a proportionate movement of said one rollin an opposite direction.

4. In a splitting machine, aYknife having an elongated cutting edge, a feed roll, means for initially adjusting said roll with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to provide a gap of a predetermined width, another roll which cooperates with the first-named roll tofeed' a work piece against said cutting edge, a stop, resilient means for urging the second-named roll toward the cutting edge of the knife until limited by the stop, and mechanism for coordinating movement of the rolls in opposite directions with relation to the knife to vary the width of the gap in accordance with the movement of the secondnamed roll.

'5. In a splitting machine, a fixed knife provided with an elongated cuttingedge, a roll initially adjustable with ,relation to said cutting edge to provide a gap of a predetermined width, a roll movable with relation to the knife in accordance with the thickness and the density of a work piece fed between the rolls, and means for coordinating the movement of the rolls in a xed ratio in opposite directions with relation to the knife to cause the widthof the gap to be increased or decreased aY predetermined amount in accordance with the movement of the second-named roll, said means being constructed and arranged for adjustment to vary said ratio.

6. In a splitting machine, a knife having an elongated cuttingedge, a feed roll, means for initially adjusting said roll with relation to the cutting edge of the knife Vto provide a gap of aL predetermined width, another roll which cooperates with the first-named roll to feedk a Work piece against said cutting edge, a stop, resilient means for urging the second-named roll toward the cutting edge of the knife until limited by said stop,.mechanism for coordinating movement of the rolls in opposite directions with relation to the knife to vary thewidth of the gap in accordance with the movement of the secondnamed roll, and'means for limiting the maximum for rotating said rolls, a stop, resilient means for urging the second-named roll toward the cutting edge of the knife until limited by said stop, and operative connections between the rolls for causing the same to move proportionate distances in opposite directions with relation to the knife in accordance with Variations in the density of the work piece, said connections comprising abutments movable with the second-named roll, a wedge bar which is displaced under the action of said resilient means operating through the work piece and the gage roll, and arms movable against the abutments under the action of said Wedge bar until limited by said abutments.

8. In a splitting machine, a knife having an elongated cutting edge, a gage roll, means for initially adjusting the gage roll with relation to the cutting edge of the knife to provide a gap moved into engagement with the abutments and to permit the gage roll to move under the action of said resilient means operating through the work piece in accordance with the position of the abutments whereby to Vary the width of the gap in accordance with the density of the work piece.

THOMAS B. CLARKE. HUBERT BOOTHROYD. 

